The Picture Book Buzz - Interview with Leah Schanke

Leah Schanke is a children's book author whose multicultural heritage and interest in U.S. history inspire her to write historical fiction and nonfiction books for children with a focus on little-known but significant figures and events.

Leah’s debut picture book, Freedom at Dawn: Robert Smalls's Voyage Out of Slavery, releases April 10th.

Welcome Leah,

Tell us a little about yourselves. (Where/when do you write? How long have you been writing?)

I’ve been a writer in some form for most of my life. I began as an amateur poet in middle school and wrote poetry full of youthful angst through college. When I became a mom, reading picture books to my children sparked an interest in pursuing children’s book writing professionally. I’ve been writing children’s books for 15 years. With working full-time and family responsibilities, I write whenever and wherever I can. It can be at home, at a public library, or while I’m travelling.

It's wonderful to meet you, Leah. What is one of the most fun or unusual places where you’ve written a manuscript?

I’ve written most of my stories on the commuter railroad on my way to work. It’s a 45-minute trip, so I decided that time would be used for my writing endeavors, whether research, writing, or catching up on social media.

I love being "trapped" in places for dedicated writing time. What was your inspiration or spark of interest for Freedom at Dawn: Robert Smalls's Voyage Out of Slavery ? 

I learned about Robert Smalls when I was researching another US Civil War story. Smalls was a Civil War hero, yet he was forced out of a streetcar in Philadelphia because of the color of his skin. Because I was not familiar with this important figure in US history, I wanted to learn more about him.

Unfortunately, our country was (and still is) rife with discrimination. I am glad you brought his story to life! What is the hardest or most challenging thing about writing Freedom at Dawn? And what was the most fun?

For me, the most challenging part about writing historical fiction is where to start the story and which historical facts to include. Writing Freedom at Dawn was no exception. Critique partners helped me see where to start the story and how to streamline it, keeping the essential elements that move the story forward. The most fun was making Lizzy relatable with her hopes and fears and creating suspense to engage readers.

Great choice. I think making the book an historical fiction and using Lizzy as the narrator made it so much more poignant for children. How many revisions did the illustrations take from first draft to publication?

Wow, it was a thirteen-year journey, so I lost count. The original story was a traditional biography that ended up in a drawer for years until the spring of 2020. My critique group did a brainstorming exercise, and one of the items on the list was telling a story from a different perspective. That’s when I got the idea to tell the story from Robert Smalls’ daughter, Lizzy’s point of view. When I shared the draft of the new story, the reaction of my critique partners encouraged me to keep working on it.

Critique groups are awesome! Glad you didn't give up on the story. Did anything amaze or surprise you when you first saw Oboh Moses’s illustrations? What is your favorite spread?

Text © Leah Schanke, 2025. Image © Oboh Moses, 2025.

Oboh Moses’ black and white draft illustrations were very impressive and really captured the action and suspense of the story. But I was completely wowed by the color illustrations. I feel so blessed that Oboh Moses illustrated my story. My favorite spread is the battle at Fort Sumter. Moses’ illustrations pull you in and really make you feel the action in the scene.

Was there anything you discovered during your research that you were unable to fit into the book or the back matter?

There were a lot of interesting facts that were not included in the story, especially with the first-person point of view from Lizzy's perspective. One was that President Lincoln signed a bill for Robert Smalls and his crew to be awarded money for having delivered the Planter to the Union. I included this and many other facts in a timeline for the back matter, but the timeline had to be removed to keep the book within the 32-page format.

I do hope you include the timeline and other fascinating facts on your website for readers and teachers. What's something you want your readers to know about Freedom at Dawn?

While it is a story about a bright, fearless leader, he could not have pulled off the escape on his own. It’s important for readers to understand that everyone on the Planter was brave, that there are different ways to be brave. That children are brave too.

Very good point. Are there any new projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?

I’m continuing to research and write stories about significant figures and events in US history. Story ideas include a cowboy who made a major paleontological discovery and a Great Migration story loosely based on my family’s own story (and how I came to be born in New York City).

These sound intriguing. We'll have to keep our eyes open for them. Last question,  what is your favorite National Park or Forest, regional park, or city park (anywhere in the world)? Or the one you’re longing to visit. Why?

One of my favorite parks is Harriman State Park in New York, but my heart is in Central Park in New York City. I grew up one block from the park, and it was not only a playground, it inspired my early poetry that eventually led to my pursuing a career in children’s book writing.

Thank you, Leah, for sharing with us a bit about yourself and your stunning debut picture book.

Be sure to come back Friday for the Perfect Picture Book #PPBF post on Freedom at Dawn: Robert Smalls's Voyage Out of Slavery.

To find out more about Leah Schanke, or to contact her:

Website: https://www.leahschanke.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/leahschanke.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LeahSchanke

If you are in the area, check out Leah's free book event at the Manhasset, NY Barnes and Noble, on April 27th: